Walkden woman dies five years after gastric bypass operation

A WOMAN died five years after having gastric bypass surgery that led her to lose 14 stone, an inquest was told.

Elise Ann Hedgecock, aged 35, died at her home in Dagmar Street, Walkden, on November 19, last year after suffering from peritonitus — an inflammation of the tissue which lines the inside of the abdomen.

It was brought on by a perforated ulcer — thought to have been a delayed complication of the surgery she underwent in 2008.

The inquest heard that on the day of her death, Miss Hedgecock’s father, Philip, travelled to her house and realised the door was locked from the inside.

He rang the police before going in through the back door.

When officers arrived he asked them to look upstairs where they found Ms Hedgecock in the bathroom.

An ambulance was called and she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Miss Hedgecock, who had been working as a healthcare assistant at Salford Royal Hospital, was described by her father as a “popular lady” with many friends and a love of animals and karaoke.

The inquest heard she had been overweight for most of her adult life and in October 2008, when she weighed just over 24 stone (153 kg), she decided to undergo gastric bypass surgery at Salford Royal Hospital.

The surgery re-routes the digestive system past most of the stomach so the person requires a lot less food to feel full.

Miss Hedgecock lost 14 stone (88 kgs) after her operation. The surgery was carried out by Professor Basil Ammori who told the inquest: “She was reviewed in May 2009 and there were no problems, her body mass index dropped so she was no longer morbidly obese and was now in the moderately overweight category.”

He explained that while ulcers were a known risk of gastric bypass procedures, it was unusual for them to occur so long after surgery.

Prof Ammori said: “According to my research the risk of ulcers happening after gastric bypass surgery is one in 120 and this usually happens in the first 18 months.”

Coroner Geoffrey Saul recorded a narrative verdict, confirming Ms Hedgecock died at home from peritonitis.

He said: “She died from a late complication from gastric bypass surgery.”

Speaking after the inquest, her father, Mr Hedgecock said: “There is no blame attached at all and after the surgery Elise had a better quality of life.